


Azure and Crimson

by royaltyjunk



Series: in other wor(l)ds [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Romantic Friendship, crimson flower spoilers too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-14 22:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20608418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/royaltyjunk/pseuds/royaltyjunk
Summary: Maybe, in another time, they could have had this. (Or, if Edelgard and Dimitri had a support chain.)





	1. Azure Moon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aymrsbhar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aymrsbhar/gifts).

> Author’s Ideas: MURDER ME WE’RE BACK WITH MORE OF THIS SHIP  
This is for my friend Jen!! THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME AND SCREAMING ABOUT DIMITRIGARD WITH ME I WROTE YOU SOME SUPPORTS BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU’D CRY IF SOMEONE WROTE THEM  
The ending of the BL supports are kind of based on my previous Dimitrigard WIP but you don’t have to read it to know what’s going on

Dimitri sighed, rolling his shoulder before settling into his fighting stance. He winced when he felt pain shoot through his arm, but grit his teeth and bore through it as he slashed at a training dummy.

“Don’t push yourself,” someone called out—it took him less than a second to recognize who it was. He straightened, holding his lance at his side and turning to look as she descended into the training grounds, trying to force back the clambering feelings of the past.

“Edelgard,” he greeted. “What are you doing out this late?”

“I should be asking you the same thing,” she responded, voice sharp. “And in this condition, no less.” Her hand reached up to seize his shoulder. “Turn around.”

“But—”

“Now, Dimitri.”

He couldn’t argue with that voice, and let her turn him around.

“You of all people should know better than to exert yourself.” Her fingers glided over his shoulder blades, pressing gently in various spots. He stayed deadly silent, even when she found the knot in his shoulder and began working it. It felt as though they had fallen back into old habits again.

“Thank you,” he said when she had finished. He rotated his shoulder, startled to find that the pain had gone completely.

“I may not be a cleric, but I know pain when I see it, Dimitri. Please, take better care of yourself. And, for the goddess’s sake, go get some rest. Practicing will not help your shoulder recover.”

“Yes, you’re right.” He nodded. “I was a little… overzealous, I suppose.”

At that, Edelgard gave him a small smile. His heart leapt (despite the screams of his parents), and he could not help returning it. “There’s nothing wrong with zeal. I only ask that you be careful from here on out.”

“If you will promise to do the same, I will.” Dimitri reached out to take Edelgard’s wrist, glancing into her eyes. “May I?” Edelgard froze for a moment before nodding stiffly, letting Dimitri push her right sleeve up.

There on her skin, barely exposed between her glove and sleeve, was a fairly fresh cut. The blood had been cleaned off, but the wound was still susceptible to infection; from the looks of it, she had not applied ointment either. He pressed his thumb to it, whispering the fragments of white magic he had picked up from Mercedes. Both he and Edelgard watched as the wound slowly closed, leaving only pale flesh beneath Dimitri’s thumb.

“That should do it.” He dropped her wrist, watching as she hastily rolled down her sleeve and pulled her glove higher. He did not miss the scars, dark and grotesque against her light skin. “...Is something the matter?”

He hadn’t needed to ask that question—something had been the matter, ever since he first saw her. She had changed beyond recognition—if he had not known her name was Edelgard and that he was supposed to meet her at the Officer’s Academy, he doubted he would have recognized her as the same little girl from his past.

What happened to her? Her and her white hair and hidden scars and sinister whisperings with Hubert? There’s something wrong with her, Glenn whispered, you have to find out what’s wrong, don’t let her get away—

“No,” she replied, much too quickly for him to not be suspicious. “Nothing is the matter, Dimitri. I will be going now. Please don’t stay up too late.”

Before he could call for her to come back she had left, the doors to the training grounds slamming shut behind her. He stared at them, blinking as though unable to comprehend what had happened.

For the next few days, his shoulder did not hurt—at least, until Edelgard slammed her training axe into his shoulder during a training session and caused it to begin throbbing all over again.

~ / . / . / ~

A half-strangled scream made Dimitri start, head turning.

“An enemy?” he whispered to himself. A trembling voice caught his attention.

“Ah… Fath—! No—no…!”

It was coming from Edelgards room. Terror ran through his nerves, and goosebumps began to develop along his skin. He hurried down the hallway, pressing his ear to the door. There were no sounds of a struggle. With a trembling hand, he knocked.

“Wh—Who’s there?” her voice was soft and panicked—so unlike anything he thought she was.

“It’s Dimitri,” he called. “Are you alright?”

There was silence, and he opened his mouth to repeat the question when her dorm door swung open. She looked calm and composed—not even a hair out of place. Yet, her eyes were dull with terror and sorrow and despair.

“I heard you screaming. Is something wrong?”

“It’s…” she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, averting her gaze. She’d never done that before, some distant part of his mind realized. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Dimitri.”

“You speak as though you cannot trust me, Edelgard.”

He could see the beginnings of an “I don’t” forming on her lips, but guilt flashed across her face and she pursed her lips instead.

“...Seven years may have passed, but I will always be your best friend. You can tell me the truth.”

Her eyes alight with surprise, and she glanced up at him, mouth slightly ajar. Still, she said nothing.

“Please, Edelgard. Tell me the truth.”

“...Do you really want to know the truth?”

“Of—”

“Do you really want to know what happened, Dimitri? Do you really want to know what happened to Edelgard, your childhood friend, and made her into the imperial princess of the Adrestian Empire?” When he didn’t respond, silent out of shock, she flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder and sighed.

“...I do.” He watched as her shoulders tensed, and her hands curled into fists. “I have never stopped caring about you, Edelgard. Tell me the truth.”

She took in a trembling breath, her shoulders shaky. “I—...I cannot say it.”

Had she finally acquiesced? “What is it about?”

“...Do you remember when I told you of my family?”

“Yes.” That had been years ago, just weeks before she had returned to Adrestia. It was one of the first times she had spoken to him of life back in the Empire. “Ten siblings, eight older and two younger. And yet, you became the heir to the throne.” Had her nightmare been connected to them?

“They’re all dead now, Dimitri. I…” she shook her head, eyes lowered. “...I’m sorry.” With unusual clumsiness, she turned and slammed her door shut. He stared at the space where she had been standing moments ago, an indescribable emotion bubbling in his heart.

“...El…” But El would never have dared to hide anything from him. Perhaps she really, truly had changed beyond recognition.

A lump formed in his throat when he tried to take another breath. He tried to force it down, but it refused to go away until he turned and returned to his dorm, and hers had disappeared from his sight.

How strange.

(His ghosts had not said a word throughout their conversation.)

~ / . / . / ~

“...Here you were.”

Edelgard didn’t say anything, turning away from him. He had only seen her face for a split second, yet there were so many emotions that he could not decipher. Tentatively, he stood beside her.

“Speak to me, Edelgard. Please. You have not spoken to me ever since we returned to the monastery.”

“...I wonder… if I really deserve to live,” she breathed. “I said that I wished to live. But perhaps I do not deserve to.”

Dimitri stared at her, breath caught in his throat. Edelgard’s head was turned to look over the landscape, staring out at the horizon. The sky was purple and pink and golden, highlighting the world in a stunning array of colors.

“I’ve taken so much from other people.”

“...So have I.”

“You did not kill senselessly. You killed for the sake of others. You killed for revenge. I killed for my ideals. But now, my ideals will mean nothing to the world other than a wish for bloodshed.”

“And the blood on my hands will be glorified.” Dimitri rested his elbows on the stone railing, staring out over the countryside. “...Only the winners write history.”

“And so I wonder… did I truly deserve to live?”

Dimitri laughed, but it was void of joy. “Of course you do.”

“I doubt that.”

“Then I’ll help you. Find a reason to live, I mean.”

“You have a kingdom to rule now, Dimitri. What was it your friend told you? You cannot keep stringing gravestones around your neck.”

“But you are not a gravestone. You are my friend, El. Even through it all… I have never stopped caring for you.”

At that, she let out a soft snort. Something akin to joy shot through his veins. “You said the same thing to me five years ago.” When he reached out to take her in his arms, she did not stop him.

“...It’ll be okay, El,” he murmured, hugging her close. She rested her forehead against his chest, breathing rhythmically. “You know that I would not hesitate to help you.”

“You… you shouldn’t. Don’t give me a second chance, Dimitri.”

“I want to help you live, El. You said you wanted to.”

“I’ve taken so many lives, Dimitri.”

“So have I.” Before she could interject, he spoke again. “Both of our hands are stained with blood. In truth, I ought to be dead. But having half a heart is better than not having one.” He laughed, tone bittersweet.

Edelgard didn’t say anything. Her hands, resting on the small of his back, tightened around his tunic.

“We’ll be okay,” he whispered, heart too full of unspeakable emotion to say anything else.

“...Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

~ / . / . / ~

**Dimitri, Savior King, and Edelgard, Crimson Flower**

After his coronation, Dimitri spent his life reforming and ruling justly over Fódlan. Although many believed the former Emperor Edelgard to have died on the battlefield, it was rumored that she was actually alive and lived within the castle at Fhirdiad, not only as his friend but as his queen consort. Dimitri eventually took a queen, yet many accounts from his old friends claimed that he only ever exchanged marriage vows with Edelgard. When the king breathed his last, the person holding his hand was said to be Edelgard and not the queen. Despite the rumors, the secret was well-kept. Even to this day, only a select few know the truth behind King Dimitri and former Emperor Edelgard’s relationship.


	2. Crimson Flower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Ideas: Aw yeah, part two ;>

“Edelgard?” There’s a tentative knock on her door. She recognized his voice a little too quickly.

“Give me a moment.” She hid away her uncle’s letter away and opened the door, raising an eyebrow at Dimitri’s clearly flustered state; she chose to ignore her own fluttering heart. “What’s the matter?”

“Er—are you—I mean, um—” he cleared his throat. “Would you… happen to be skilled with a needle and thread?”

“Perhaps not skilled, but I am able to make mends if you need me to. Why?”

“Mercedes and Ingrid are out of town, but I tore my collar and… I—you were the only person I thought could help me,” he admitted, a sheepish glimmer in his eyes.

She couldn’t help but smile, shaking her head. “Come inside. I’ll help you sew it, but just this once. I’m not skilled enough to do it every time you tear something.”

“I don’t tear things that often,” Dimitri reassured, standing by her door. “It was just this once, I promise.”

Edelgard hummed, rummaging through her drawer for her sewing kit. “Are you sure? I hear your Crest gets you into quite some trouble sometimes.”

“It’s not—!” Dimitri sputtered, sighing as he rubbed his forehead.

“I jest.” It was startlingly easy to jest with him around, she found. Some part of her returned to their days together. She wished it didn’t. “Where is the tear?” she asked, pulling her thread through her needle.

In response, he tugged on the collar of his tunic. She stared up at him, blinking. He met her gaze, unfazed. Sometimes, she wondered how she had ever (fallen in love with him) been his best friend.

“You do know you are supposed to remove it, don’t you?” At that, Dimitri’s cheeks colored.

“Oh—”

“It’s alright, I can still mend it with you wearing it. You will need to hold still, though,” she stated. “Now, have a seat.”

He did as she told (thankfully—distinctly, she remembered a number of times when he had not and had instead gotten into unfathomable amounts of trouble), sitting in her desk chair as he turned to face her.

“Hold still,” she reminded, and pulled him closer to her. Her deft fingers undid his collar, holding the ripped part out towards herself. With careful fingers, she stitched together the torn cloth. He took gentle breaths, careful not to move—clearly out of fear that she would mess up if he did and stab his neck. That thought in itself left a smile on her lips briefly, before she forced it away.

He was the enemy. She could not love him like she had loved him before.

“There,” she said, knotting the thread and snipping it. “Take care not to rip anything else, Dimitri.”

“Of course. Thank you very much.” He smiled gratefully. “My apologies for bothering you.”

She shook her head. “It was no bother.”

“Well then, I will be going.” He reached out, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. “I shall see you later.”

And with that he was gone, leaving her with the churning emotions of seven years ago. She took a deep breath, collected the shattered pieces of herself that Dimitri had left in his wake.

“I have a duty,” she whispered to herself, and turned to retrieve her uncle’s letter from her desk.

~ / . / . / ~

Edelgard sat upon the side of his bed, watching him. Each time he sobbed, her heart twisted.

“El…”

“I’m here,” she whispered, but it wasn’t enough.

“El… Father… Glenn—” he cut himself off with a half-strangled scream, curling in on himself. She pressed her hand to his cheek.

“It’s alright, Dimitri. You’re alright.” She couldn’t take it anymore—watching him scream and sob hurt her heart more than she wanted to admit.

He was crying now, tears falling from his eyes. With trembling fingers, she wiped away the tears. Don’t cry, she implored herself. You can’t cry.

Suddenly Dimitri’s eyes flew open and he gasped, sitting upright. She rested her hand to his shoulder, and his hand shot up to press against hers; his gaze snapped up to her face, a hardened look in his eyes before recognition softened them.

“E-Edelgard? But—”

“It was a nightmare, Dimitri. Whatever you were dreaming about, it was just that. A dream.”

He took in deep breaths, shoulders shaking. He rubbed his eyes and cheeks, swallowing. Something that resembled sympathy welled up in her heart. “...Why are you here?”

“I was on my way back to my dorm when I heard you. It… It sounded quite frightening.”

“...Indeed.”

They sat in silence, her hand clasped in his. After what felt like an eternity, Dimitri spoke again.

“You’ve been… quite busy lately. My apologies. You… you don’t need to stay here.”

“No. I will stay. I… I have had nightmares before. It… is quite hard to go back to sleep after you’ve had one.” It was partially true, and he didn’t need to hear the truth (she didn’t want to tell him the truth, anyways). “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” he murmured. “I… can you…”

“You needn’t speak,” she reassured, squeezing his hand. “Just go to sleep.”

“Will you stay with me tonight?” he breathed.

“...Of course.”

He gave her such a relieved smile that she felt her hardened heart melt. “Thank you,” he whispered. “...I missed you, El.”

Edelgard swallowed harshly and forced a smile onto her lips. “Get some rest,” she murmured, pushing him gently to lay down.

She watched as his eyes fluttered shut. When his breathing evened out, she forced her eyes to the ceiling; her sight was already growing blurry with coming tears. If only their paths could have crossed. If only he didn’t stand in the way of her ideals.

“...I’m sorry,” she whispered, rubbing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

~ / . / . / ~

“All troops of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus!” A familiar voice called from behind her. She spun, startled to find Dimitri. “Withdraw! We surrender to the Empire!”

The Immaculate One let out an angry roar, but Dimitri seemed unfazed. He turned, lance at the ready as though to join the battle, but she rushed to his side.

“Dimitri!” She stared up at him, breathless. “What are you doing here?”

He managed a crooked smile. “To tell all my troops to retreat. That should help you a little, shouldn’t it?”

“This is a battlefield, Dimitri. You’re still injured,” she pointed out, unable to mask her worry. He hadn’t always been this reckless—he caused her too much worry for her own good.

“Trust me, sneaking away from Dedue is very hard.” He winced, rotating his shoulder. “I meant to return after I gave the order, but who will make sure all my troops escape?”

“I will. Now, return to the infirmary. Please.” She turned, ready to instruct a nearby soldier, when he caught her shoulder and spun her back around.

“...Thank you, Edelgard. For sparing them.”

She shook her head. “...Don’t thank me. I… I was going to kill them. The professor… was the one who told me I ought to spare them.”

Dimitri nodded. “Then pass my thanks onto them. I am glad you decided to listen to them.” There was a hardened look in his eyes.

“Dimitri… Truly, I apologize.”

“Apologies will not bring the lost ones back,” he replied, “but… I must apologize as well.”

Edelgard blinked, confusion swirling in her mind. “Why?”

“I cannot help but feel that this whole conflict could have been avoided if…” he took in a deep breath, as if to steel himself, “if you had stayed in Fhirdiad with me.”

Oh. _Oh_. Her hand flew to her heart, willing it to stop thundering in her ears.

“Perhaps we could have lived in peace. We could have gone to Garreg Mach together… and we could have changed the world together, El.”

“...But there is no use dwelling on the past anymore,” she murmured, somehow managing to keep calm.

At that, Dimitri sighed. The sound was bitter, resentful of the course their—no, her—past had taken. “I suppose not,” he murmured as he crossed his arms, and then winced.

“Return to the infirmary. Leave everything to me. And… Dimitri?”

“Yes?”

“When the time comes, will you fight at my side once again?” To fight by his side like they did when they were children, with nothing else to care about other than each other—that was all she could ever wish for. If only they had not been torn apart.

“...Always,” he replied, smiling slightly. She could not help the laugh that erupted from her lips seconds later, and everything felt right in the world.

~ / . / . / ~

**Edelgard, Flame Emperor, and Dimitri, Azure Moon**

Soon after Fódlan was united under Edelgard’s reign, the war against those who slither in the dark and the fight to reform the caste system began. Although some history books report that Edelgard persevered alone, it is well-known that she always had a steadfast companion at her side—the lost king of the former Kingdom of Faerghus, Dimitri. In her later years, Edelgard passed her throne onto her son and vanished from the public eye. Handmaids within the castle also noted that the room beside hers that used to house Dimitri was abandoned around the same time. Eventually, when the royal line began birthing children of both Blaiddyd and Seiros bloodlines, it mattered not to anyone.


End file.
